if you did not read the addition made to chapter 24, go back and read it first! thank you! also the music video goes towards the end of the chapter, not the overall mood!
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Unfortunately, we had to leave our peaceful paradise and return the jet skis. However, escaping from the world, if only for a few hours, with the person I love was absolutely priceless.
After the jet skis were under Willy’s possessions, we strolled back to the house. The transformation was astonishing – so remarkable that I actually thought my eyes were playing a trick on me. Aside from the off balanced level of the foundation, everything was organized and refurbished. Broken furniture was removed, and every undamaged item was back in its proper place.
“See,” Rebecca said when she saw us, as she swept the kitchen floor. “We could do it without you guys. All you needs is some elbow grease and determination.”
“I’m very impressed,” Chase said, kissing his mother on the cheek.
“Tomorrow, we shop till we drop!” Rebecca exclaimed, obviously excited at the idea of new, state of the art items replacing the old, out-dated, broken furniture.
“Actually, I was thinking we could go visit Dad tomorrow,” Chase said, earnestly.
Rebecca and I raised our eyebrows in utter shock. “Really?”
“Well yeah, after talking to him last night, I realized that I really want to see him,” Chase explained. “I’m ready.”
“Okay, I’m sure we can schedule a visit,” Rebecca said, trying her best to hide the huge smile that was located on her beaming face.
“Great,” he said, heading down the hallway.
When his back was turned, the two of us instantly made eye connection. Rebecca no longer forced her smile away, as it contagiously spread onto me.
“Can you believe it?” She whispered.
“I know,” I whispered back, through a toothy grin. Relief and pride washed over me – Chase was finally ready to put on his big-boy pants and face the ugly truth.
“John’s going to be so happy to finally see him,” Rebecca said, a little louder than a whisper.
“I leave the room for one minute, and I come back to find you two talking about me,” Chase remarked, on the joking side. Tucked under his arm was a beach towel, and in his right hand was the picnic basket we used on the last date.
“Sorry,” we both muttered in unison.
I watched Chase rummaged through the kitchen, as he selected a variety of dining essentials – plates, utensils, and glasses. After whispering in Chase’s ear, Rebecca winked at me and exited the room.
“Why don’t you get dressed into something warmer?” Chase suggested. I raised a suspicious eyebrow at him, but followed his advice.
In my bedroom, I traded in my damp bathing suit for warm cotton undergarments. I put on some black yoga pants and pulled a warm, fuzzy sweatshirt over my head. After brushing my salty hair, I twisted it into a loose braid.
“Ready Freddie?” Chase asked when I re-entered the kitchen.
“Sure thing,” I shrugged.
Taking our usual route - out the back door, through the porch, down the stairs – we found a comfortable spot on the shore, with a perfect view of the sunset. Spreading the towel out across the cool sand, we sat down. Chase piled some salad onto a china plate, and handed it to me.
“Turkey or ham?” He asked, offering me a choice of sandwich.
“Turkey!”
Pulling out two saran wrapped sandwiches, he handed the T sharpie labeled one to me. After unveiling the ham sandwich, he took a hearty bite and positioned it on his plate. Reaching into the picnic basket again, he pulled out two clear, plastic wine glasses and a bottle of white wine.
“Courtesy of Rebecca,” he said, extending the bottle in my view so I could read the label: Monthaven Winery Chardonnay 2007.
So that was the secret Rebecca exchanged with Chase when we were in the kitchen.
“As appealing as it sounds,” I started. “I don’t think I should. You remember the last time I drank. No thank you, I don’t want to head down that road ever again.”
Against my wishes, he started pouring me a glass. “That’s because it was your first time drinking. It always hits you the hardest the first time, and especially if you don’t know how to control yourself.”
After pouring into both glasses, he handed one to me. Hesitantly, I took a sip, letting the green grape flavor fill my throat. Unlike last time, I could barely taste the alcohol.
“The key to not getting ridiculously wasted is limiting yourself to only two drinks,” Chase said, sipping his drink. “So pace yourself, so you don’t run out quickly.”
Following his advice, I put my glass down so I wouldn’t be tempted to take another sip.
“How come Rebecca’s so accepting of this? Technically, we’re breaking the law,” I remarked.
“Well, she has European beliefs. Like in Italy and France, they learn how to drink responsibly at a young age,” Chase explained. “Rebecca feels that if we do the same now, in our late teens, we won’t go overboard when we’re 21.”
Rebecca is the kind of person who’s more logical than any other Congressman. My mother, on the other hand, doesn’t dare question the lawmaker’s decisions, because they must know better. But without a doubt, Rebecca is the one who knows better. Even if she was doing something “wrong” like breaking the law, she was still right.
“You know, you’re really lucky to have Rebecca as your mother. She’s the most amazing woman I’ve ever met, and I hope to be like her some day.”
“I know. That’s why I’m more worried about her than myself. If something happens to my dad, knock on wood; it’s going to be harder on her. Of course, I’ll be devastated, heart broken, and mournful, but I have it easier. In a year, I’ll go off to college, be surrounded by people, start my own life. But if my dad dies, she’ll be alone. She’s a remarkable, wonderful person and she doesn’t deserve that,” Chase said, his voice trembling. His leaned forward, and hunched his shoulders together. “I feel like cancer is tearing my family apart. He can’t die, it’s too soon! He doesn’t deserve this either! He’s too kind, too considerate, and too great of a man. I look up to him the way that you look up to Rebecca. I can’t lose him, and neither can my mother. And the worst part is I can’t do anything about it to help or make it better, because it’s out of my control.”
Chase broke in sobs. It didn’t sound anything like my sobs, let alone any other female’s cry, because it was harsher and huskier. Resting on my knees, I draped my arms around his shoulders and pressed the side of my face into his back.
Before comforting him with my words, I used my gestures. Sometimes letting a person cry it all out first is better than trying to reassure them immediately.
When his sobs died off, I said, “You can help him, and you already decided that you will.” Chase turned slightly, his face puzzled in confusion. “By seeing him. It’s going to make him so happy, and that happiness will give him the strength to keep going, to keep fighting for something, someone. Just stand by his side, give him faith and courage, let him know that you love him, and he will get better, I promise. If you do that, he won’t give up on you and Rebecca, he’ll fight with every bit of strength left in him.”
“I’m not ready to take over as man of the house,” Chase said firmly, acknowledging my words of wisdom, but unable to reply to them.
“And he’s not ready to resign,” I replied.
Chase nuzzled his face into my shoulder. Taking his jaw line into my hands, I wiped his moist face.
“Let’s not dwell on this. I don’t want to ruin our awesome, fun filled night,” he said, regaining himself. That’s my boy, making a fast recovery.
“Of course not,” I said, flashing him a reassuring smile. “Now tell me, what’s included in this fun-filled night?”
Instead of answering me, Chase pulled out portable iHome speakers and his iPod. Cranking the volume, Wilson Pickett’s song Land of 1000 Dances started blasting through the speakers. Chase started bopping his head in rhythm, catching a funky groove. Then, the music overwhelmed him and he jumped up and started dancing (it was more like kicking and thrusting) in the sand. Chase started belting the chorus, swinging his arms all around, jolting his legs in rapid beats, and even throwing in a few booty shakes. The sight of his frenetic dancing brought me to laughing hysterics.
“Come on!” He pulled me up to my feet. “NAH, NAH, NAH, NAH, NAH, NAH, NAH, NAH, NAH, NAH!”
He spun me around in circles, as my blood started flowing. I threw in the classic mash potato move my mother taught me when I was ten. The music was flowing through my veins, and my body reacted. Before I knew it, I was a dancing fool, just like Chase.
By this point it was dark, which meant nobody was around to see our humiliating dance moves. However, any of the neighbors who may have looked out their window, were in for a treat. A video camera should have captured this brilliant performance.
Out of breath, we collapsed onto the sand, laughing at ourselves.
“Aren’t we full of energy today? First, jet skiing, now power dancing,” I said, catching my breath.
“We’ll recharge your battery, because you’ve got more to do,” Chase said, bouncing back up. He started running, and called over his shoulder, “Follow me! I’ve got to show you something.”
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sorrry for the long wait, xmas is taking over my life! school, family, friends, oy vey! anyway i hope you all like it! not the end of the story yet, i'd say about 5 more chapters! so keep reading and thank for being great fans!!! also check out my other story "Leather Kisses"